Pakistan can fight its Jammu and Kashmir case meaningfully if it strengthens its economy because economic uplift of its people would win wider international support for its peace and security stance, a prominent entrepreneur argues.
“Pakistan cannot take its eyes off the twin issues at hand, the economy and Kashmir. It must go about a carefully designed strategy because if Kashmir is a challenge to peaceful existence, economy is a battle for the nation’s survival,” Mossadaq Chughtai, the founder of Pakistan American Leadership Center, said.
The Pakistani-American business leader spoke as South Asian rivals Pakistan and India faced a standoff over Kashmir, following a strict clampdown on the disputed territory. The Kashmir siege times with a particularly sensitive time for Pakistan’s economy, which has been buckling under trade imbalance and fiscal challenges.
Chughtai, who runs businesses in both the United States and Pakistan, criticized the government’s performance on the economic front, particularly its ‘far from satisfactory” efforts to close the hurtful trade gap and attract more foreign direct investment.
“The government needs to be straight and upfront in dealing with these issues,” he emphasized in an interview.
The Pakistani-American, who also co-founded the Pakistan Congressional Caucus more than a decade ago, pointed out that the recent Imran Khan Government appeal, asking people to spend two hours on registering their protest, is not a good idea.
“We have to see it in economic terms, for millions of people these two hours will be unproductive and ultimately affect the already weakening GDP growth,” he said, pointing out that people wasting their time will have no direct bearing on the Kashmir situation.
Pakistani-American entrepreneur Mossadaq Chughtai and Congressman Brad Sherman
Image Credit: Views and News
“Instead, our leaders should have appealed to the nation to work, two hours more, every day to increase productivity of the nation and to support Kashmir cause, that the country is able to come out economic crisis as early as possible. It is simple, economic strength will make our diplomacy stronger. Great nations work harder and step up to come out of crises,” Chughtai added.
The Virginia-based businessman, who recently returned from a visit to Pakistan, also questioned the government’s performance of first year, in terms of improving the outlook for major Pakistani cities including Karachi and Peshawar.
Karachi with such large population is in a much trashier conditions than the year ago and in terms of infrastructure. Peshawar not only is nowhere near the promised mass transit, its outlook is in ruins, literally, he said.
“We need a visionary approach, goal-oriented policies and strict implementation of time-frames for completion of projects. Our economic team, advisers and all the committees, by large, appear to be living in a la la land with absolutely no accomplishments to show for last one year.”
“What we have in place is creation of committees, committees and more committees. Such an approach only delays development and is useless for the nation. Our people are more vulnerable to economic pressures today, than they ever have been, in the history of our country.”
he is a respectable man in the Pakistan community.